Our fantastic local music teacher and rehearsal studio have teamed up to bring you some important hints and tips that you'll need to think about when first setting up your band and getting started, particularly if you want to play gigs around the local area...

1. Decide if you are going to be a covers band, or write and play your own original music.

2. If you are going to write your own then, before you start, listen to as many different music styles as you can to get a good idea of the formula for a good sound, what works, and what a really great piece of songwriting looks like.

3. Experiment with a few different styles until you settle on one that you are really comfortable with, that suits your image and the personalities of your band members.

4. If you prefer to be a covers band, again you'll need to consider which types of bands you want to cover - it can be easier to get bookings for gigs if you're covering popular groups, but you'll have to be very very good as competition will be high!

5. Covering less well known or unusual bands means you'll have to work harder to find the right audience and age groups to match the appeal of the music you're playing.

Whatever style you decide to play, and whether you're an original band or you're covering popular groups, you need to make sure your performance is dynamic and interesting to watch as well as listen to. The biggest message is to practice, practice and then practice some more.

Rob and Jack's own band, The Brokebeats, have been together for several years and still need to practice to keep their act fresh and up to scratch. Even though they get regular repeat bookings, Rob and Jack know they need to continue changing and evolving their act, so the whole band spends regular sessions in the rehearsal studio working on new material and fresh ways of performing their act to keep the fans wanting to see them again and again.

If you're just starting out, pop down to The Rockin Rooms in Langley Mill, where you can hire a rehearsal studio for just £8 an hour and use their drum kits and PA systems, to get a real feel for what it's like working with professional equipment.

Whatever type of band you choose to be, and whatever style of music you play, why not let us know when you are playing a gig somewhere in the local area and we'll include it in our popular event listings!

And keep an eye on our blog pages for more great advice from Rob and Jack, our highly recommended local music experts!